A statement has been released by the Ghana Armed Forces acknowledging their authorization of the operation in Ashaiman.

The statement also reveals that 184 suspects were detained and sent to the Military Police for screening, with plans to subsequently transfer them to the Ghana Police Service after screening.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) say Tuesday’s swoop at Ashaiman was sanctioned as part of “a man-hunt” for some criminals, who are suspected to have stabbed and killed a young soldier on Saturday (4 March).

Military personnel besieged the notorious town Tuesday dawn following the killing of a member of the Ghana Armed Forces Band, Sherif Imoro, 21, a trumpeter who was originally stationed at Sunyani in the Bono Region.

He was in Accra for a military course and in the last three weeks, had been visiting his parents in their home at Ashaiman every Friday, multiple media sources said.

It was during one of his visits that he was reportedly confronted by a gang that killed him.

“GAF wishes to state categorically that the military operation, which was sanctioned by the military high command, was NOT to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime,” the statement signed by Brigadier General E Aggrey-Quarshie, GAF spokesperson said.

“Following the operations at Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku, the military personnel picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have since handed them over to the Military Police and subsequently to be sent to the Ghana Police Service for screening and for further action.

During the course of the swoop, the personnel seized 29 slabs and 57 mini slabs of suspected Indian hemp and amnesia among other forms of narcotics,” the statement said.

It added: “The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) also wishes to place on record that the swoop was not targeted at innocent civilians but was an intelligence–led operation conducted on suspected hideouts of criminals and crime-prone areas in the general area. GAF however acknowledges that regrettably some innocent persons might have been caught up in the operation and consequently suffered some distress due to the location they found themselves at the time.

“GAF accordingly wishes to urge the general public to provide useful information, support the security agencies in weeding out criminals and miscreants from our communities, and desist from shielding and conniving with such suspects in order to curb criminal activities in the country.”

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